I wanted to call them Christians with a capital H, but they’re not hypocritical per se. American evangelicals do not profess to do good, merely they pledge to do good by Jesus Christ. Meaning, what their preacher tells them, that the scripture tells them, that Jesus tells them to do. Go spread my faith, in a nutshell.

If you believe in Jesus you will be saved. If you do not believe in Jesus you cannot be saved. They turn this to mean do whatever you want, Jesus will forgive you. Thus, abusing the bejesus out of the ten commandments, does not enter into it, you’re saved! Kill pygmies, enslave them, starve them or ignore them, no harm done! Extra credit however if you convert them.

Traditional religions share this religiosity: an idea of benevolence toward your fellow man. Progressive religious thought embraces all religion as serving a same higher purpose.

This is where it’s important to draw a distinction between denominations. American christian evangelicals are not religious in this fundamental way. They are not at the core do-gooders. And they do not play well with others.

To say of a capital “C” Christian, well at least he believes in God, is like saying of a member of the Bloods or the Crips, well at least it keeps him off the street.